Standing female figure

20th century

Women who taught about sexual behavior carried this figure as a signal of their authority. Such representatives of the Yassa society were chosen to teach young men and women about the rules of relationships to be followed. They also had the power to determine punishment for those who transgressed the rules. The figure embodies the memories of ancestral women who have been initiated into the society, as seen in her beads and scarification. Her wide forehead is a sign of the value placed on young women who store their knowledge there as they prepare for their lives as adults.

Stained wood, beads

24 x 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 in. (60.96 x 13.97 x 13.97 cm)

Gift of Dr. Oliver E. and Pamela F. Cobb

94.104

Now on view at the Seattle Art Museum

Seattle Art Museum respectfully acknowledges that we are on Indigenous land, the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. We honor our ongoing connection to these communities past, present, and future.

Learn more about Equity at SAM